Water vehicle



2 Sheets-Sheet Biz/671501".-

Nov. 17, 1931. Y F, J. R'ASH 1,832,241

WATER VEHICLE Filed Aug. 4. 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

witness a 771. 1 6

Patented Nov. 17, 1931 -1 UNIT-ED FRANK I. BASH, or cn'rcaeo,rrrmois'nssrenon or ommu ELMER wmnnrn,

PATENT "OFFICE, Y

on CHICAGO, ILLINOIS wn-rnnvnnrotn Application filed ali ns, 1930.*Seria-INo. 472,876.

.This invention relates to amusement'de vices and more particularly tomanually propelled water vehiclesqalthough certain featur'es thereofmay; be. employed with equal advantage'for other purposes. It.contemplates more especially the provision of improved, more effectiveand less intricate means-for imparting movement to a vehicle responsiveto the manipulationof the rider for amusement purposes. r a :1

One object of the present invention is to providea vehicle forsustaining the rider above the surface of water and to effect thetraverse thereover. 1

Another obj ectis to simplify the construction and, improve theoperation of devicesof this character.

Still another object is to providea frame having water buoyant pontoons'thereon to sustain and enable the traverse of a rider with minimumfriction and resistance.

A further object isto provide simplified and more effective means forimparting'linear movement to a water vehicle responsive to the manualeffort of therider; v

A still further object is to provide a frame having buoyant meansthereon for water traverse so that the rider may effect the propulsionand directional steering thereof.

Still a further objectis to provide a water vehicle having pontoonsthereon comprising 1 independent hermetically sealed compartments toimpart increased safety thereto. 1

Other objects and j-advantages will, appear from the following;description of'an illustrative embodimentof-the present invention. I

Inthedrawingsz v v Figure 1 is a plan view of a device embodyingfeatures of the present invention. Figure 2 is a sectionalview takensubstantially along line II-II ofFlgure 1.

Figure '3' is a. fragmentary \VIEW 1n .eleva tion. of thehandle andsteering .nrechanis n- .for-the device shown inFigure' 1; 3

v Figure 4c is a sectional view of alhermetiically sealed fl -supportdesignedZforemployment with the pontoons disclosed in Figure1. &"'

Figure 5 is asectional viewtaken substan tially along line V- V of Fi 1I Figureoisa sectional view of thepontoon tion and configuration adaptedto receive buoyant means thereon to" sustain Ia rider above the surfaceofwater in a manner to .be more .fully: described hereinafter; As shown,the, frame 10 is, in this instance, built from tubularpipe members, onepipemember 11 extending in a longitudinal direction .of movement fortermination in T-u'nions 12 and 13. which have transversely extendingmembers ,14 and 15, respectively, associated therewith any suitablemanner as commercial practicemay dictate. The-forward transverse member14 has an arcuate-portion 16 symmetrically disposed with reference tothe longitudinal pipe member 11 for termination in transverselyalignedextensions 17. The rearward transverse. member 15 is; sim

ilarly provided with extensions 18 in parallel extensions .17 Y and 18so that suitable fasteners such as :nuts 22' may threadedly engage the.

studs19 foridetachably associating the pontoonsQOiahd 21to-thexunderside of the frame =10. vThe Pontoons 20 and 21 are 'formedorotherwise shaped from sheet material to present elongated tubularmembers of preferably, though not essentially, rectangular crosssection'for termination in pointed-bows 28ft0 minimize the frictionalresistance with lthewater responsive to the traverse there of. The sternor rearward extremity of -the pontoons 20 and '21, is arcuatelycurved'as at-24 for a similar purpose, these being detachably associatedwith the framelO in parallelism for longitudinal disposition inthe-direction of travel. W

' A seat member 25 is telescopically associthe seat member 25, anauxiliary pontoon .29 is transversely disposed between the pontoons 20and 21 for detachable association therewith by means of stud fastenerswhich project through flanges 31 fixed to the surface of the pontoon 29in any suitable manner.

' As shown, the exterior contour of the auxiliary pontoon 29 is ofgenerally elliptical or preferably-egg-shaped cross section so astooffer minimum resistance/to the water responsive to the traverseof theframe 10 therethrough. Forthis purpose the pontoon 29 is situatedrearwardly so as to balance the load of the rider which is concentratedin the region thereof, thereby imparting increased buoyancy to theframe10 owing to the greater water displacement capacity thereof. So that therider may conveniently be supported on-the framelO against accidentalremoval therefrom, handle means consisting, in this instance, of avertically disposed tubular member 32 is anchored to the longitudinalbar 11 by means of vertically aligned bearings 35 and 34, the formerbeing supported by a bar or tube 35 extending from the seat ,support 26to impart increased rigidity thereto. The, post 32 terminates atoneextremity thereof in a transverse handlebar 36 for convenient grasp ofthe rider with theother extremity thereof terminating in a-transversesteering bar 37 intermediate the pontoons 20 land 21.

In order to effect steering, rods 38, in this instance two, are:anchored at the extremities thereof tOfthB steering bar 37 for crossedextensionto' engage a rudder bar 39 fixed to the vertical rod 40 valongwhich a rudder 41 is' attached. The rod 40 is journalled in alignedbearings 42 and 43 which are sustained by bracket members 44 and 45ofany suitable configuration for attachmentto the auxiliary pontoon 29on the top and bottom surfaces, respectively, thereof. Asa result, thebearings 42 and 43 are maintained in vertically'aligned association torotatably sustain. the rudder 41 in position for steering guidanceresponsive to the handle means 32.

As shown, an inclined bracket 46 extends between the pontoon 29 andbracket 44 to sustain the latterinposition against movement. In order topropel the frame 10 over any {body of water and along the surface 28there'- of, a propeller 47 of standard design or any approvedconstruction is fixedlto' the extremity of a rod 48 journalled inbearings 49 and 50. As shown, the bearings 49 and 50 are supported inbrackets 51 and 52 secured to the underside of the pontoon 29 andlongitudinal frame bar l1,-respectively, for inclined rotary supportwith'the other extremity thereof carrying a beveled pinion 53.' Thepinion 53 meshes with a beveled gear 54 carried by a transverse stubshaft 55 j ournalled in a bearing 56 integrally or otherwiseassoci'atedwith 1 the bearing bracket 34 supra.

.It isto be noted that the vehicle or frame 10 may be propelled in anysuitable manner :and, in this instance, it is preferred to provide pedalmeans in the form of crank arms 57 which extend fromthe stub shaft 55 tocarry laterally extending pedals 58 of standard construction. :Thepedals 58are journalled on the crank arms 57 .within range of the ridersustained on the seat member 25 so as to effect t the traverse ofthe-frame 10 along the water surface 28. In consequence thereof, therider may be conveniently and comfortably seated and simultaneouslyeffect the traverse of the frame 10 together with the steering thereofresponsive to the manipulation of the pedals 58 and handle means 38,respectively.

In order toinsure increased safety, the pontoons 21 are preferablyprovided with a longitudinal series of independent hermetically sealedcompartments 60, in this instance five, which are defined bypartitionmembers 61 disposed transversely therein for adhesive nut 63exteriorly threaded as at 64 for engagement with a cap member 65adhesively or otherwise joined to the top surface of the pontoons 20 and21 in the region of'their bows 23 for extension therein. The posts 62are closed at the bottom thereof with any suitable means such assolder66 and water is precluded from entering the pontoons around the flagposts 62 and through the cap 65 owing to a gasket 67- interposedtherebetween, As a result, the flag posts 62 are sealed from theinteriorof-the pontoons 20 and 21 for fixed association therewith sothat flags 68 or other ornaments maybe telescopically supported fordisplay I thereon.

Various changes may be made in the embodiment of the invention hereinspecifically described without departing from or sacrific- 111g any oftheadvantages of the invention as defined in the appended claims,

I claim: 7 a 1. In a vehicle the combination with a frame, of paralleldisposedpontoonsassociated with said frame, a' pontoon disposedtransversely between said parallel pontoons V for detachable associationtherewith, a seat member on said frame for sustaining a rider above thesurface of water, pedal driving means for effecting the traverse of saidframe, and handle means within grasp of the rider on said seat member.

2. In a water vehicle, the combination with a frame, of parallelelongated pontoons detachably associated with said frame to maintain arider above the surface of water, said pontoons being pointed andelongated in the direction of travel independent hermetically sealedcompartments in said pontoons, a pontoon transversely associated betweensaid parallel pontoons, a seat member on said frame for sustaining arider, and means for manually propelling said frame over a body ofwater.

3. In a water vehicle, the combination with a frame, of parallelelongated pont oons detachably associated with said frame to maintain arider above the surface of water, said pontoons being pointed andelongated in the direction of travel, a seat member on said frame forsustaining a rider, handle means on said frame, a steering rudderresponsive to said handle means, means for manually pro- Eelling saidframe, and a transverse pontoon etween said parallel pontoons toincrease the buoyancy in a concentration.

In witness whereof, I subscribe my name.

FRANK J; BASH.

position of maximum weight

